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Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Lèche-Vitrine

What we call window shopping.

Is a much more serious hard core activity in Paris. In fact it's known as "faire du lèche-vitrine." Translated as licking the windows - a tad gross wouldn't you think for the very proper French?Men do it just as much as women in Paris.

Equality of the sexes and all that Even Parisien hounds do it. Well what do you expect if you put the merch right out in the street?Here some Parisiens are lined up waiting their turn to get up close and personal to the window...hmmm

Some shops have open windows and sell delicious crepes, so perhaps there is good reason to call it window licking

Inside at Fauchon, this customer is attempting to merge with the food case.

Outside Fauchon a potential customer is giving the vitrine/window a head bump!

Granted there is often writing on French windows, so she could be reading

21 comments:

I really enjoy your 'Paris Breakfasts' posts, they have cheered me on many a grey day [in the UK]. Thank you very much!Your recent post on window shopping reminded me of this beautiful book I have a copy of, that you might be familar with? If you do not have it, you must have a look at it/treat yourself to a copy. Just flicking through it transports me to the streets of Paris and the associated sights/sounds/smells.

HAHA! I love that phrase. I was in Paris once and was looking so closely at the chocolates in the window, that I SMACKED my head on the glass and ended up with a huge knot on my forehead. The glass was so clean, that I didn't even see it!

I love window-shopping. Especially in NY at Christmas time. I remember those windows from when I was a little kid--the moving mannequins created whole story lines, didn't they? I miss those days--they were just magical--definitely windows worth licking. ;)) Thanks for the shot of nostalgia, Carol.

You pauvre naif! That rabbit is no more trying to read wine labels than I am trying to gain weight! No! He is plotting! He has heard of a place with very easy pickings called Longears and is wondering if that woman with the camera might have an "in" with the Mistress....maybe she will liberate him from the window and take him to the Promised Land?

Haha! After the record number of window stoppers you seem to have found in Paris, I think the French will no longer be known so much for their baguettes or fromage, rather their "lèche-vitrine" habits. C'est très drôle!! :)

Haha! After the record number of window stoppers you seem to have found in Paris, I think the French will no longer be known so much for their baguettes or fromage, rather their "lèche-vitrine" habits. C'est très drôle!! :)

LOVE everything french, especially their chocolate. I have a small chocolate company and use French and Belgian chocolate. You might want to check out "thestylesisters.blogspot.com I am hosting a giveaway and it ends today.

The term is used in French and not only in Paris or France for windows shopping as you indicate. I believe the intent of the translation refers to a wanton desire for the item you are looking at. Translated literally it would be left to the imagination as buying windows which would have no relationship or meaning with the term. The same reason jokes when translated need a lot of work or they loose their intent or pun.